Device for elevators



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' 0. L. CLARKE.

ELEGTRIG INDIGATING 'DEVIGE FOR ELEVATORS.

N0.04,908. Patented Sept. 9, 1884.

WITNESSES I INVENTOR w /w/"ZesZ Clarice,

By his Attorney s N. FETERS Pbokrullwgrapher. Wanhin wu. D. c,

(No Model. 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

O.L.OLARKE. ELECTRIC INDICATING DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS.

No. 304,908. Patented Sept. 9, 1884.

Charles L. Clarke, By his Attorneys u PETERS. mwmo m. Walhinglon. n. c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

0. L. CLARKE.

ELECTRIC INDIGATING DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS.

No. 304,908. Patented Sept. 9, 1884'.

WlTN ESS-ES INVENTOR W a v Clam-Zeal. Clarke,

By his Attorneys I 0 7% @ww/c.

UNITED STATES;

Erica.

PATENT CHARLES L. CLARKE, OF NEV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE TELEMETER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC INDICATIN'G DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 804,908, dated September 9, 1884.

7 Application lilcd March 22,1884. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES L. CLARKE, a citizen of the United States, residing in New York, in'the county and State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Indicating Devices for Elevators, of which the following is aspecification. Myinvention relates to the class of apparatus employed for electrically indicating the position of an elevator with reference to the floors of the building in which it is placed, as well as its progressive movement.

The object of the invention is to provide means for moving an indicating-arm in a suit- I 5 able manner for designating the position of the elevator at all times through the agency of I electric currents automatically transmitted by the movements of the elevator.

The invention is based,in some measure, up

on certain inventions of mine relating to telcmeters which are described in Patents Nos. 28l,382 and 285,572. The invention consists in attaching to some moving portion of an elevator or its operating apparatus a device adapted to transmit a predetermined number of electric impulses during the excursion of the elevator from one to the other of its limits, and during its opposite excursion to transmit a series ofimpulses equal in number, but either 30 of a different polarity from those first transmitted or else through a different system of apparatus. Theseimpulses, as they are transmitted act to move a series of indicating fingers or pointers in one direction or the other, thereby causing the position of the elevator to be at all times indicated at the several points where such indications are desired. The means which it is preferred to employ for transmitting the electric impulses consist of a 0 shaft which is mechanically caused to revolve in one direction or the other by the movements of the elevator-shaft, and upon this shaft is carried a circuit-closing arm adapted, when moving in one direction, to successively com- 5 plete an electric circuit by making contact withacontactarm placed upon one side of the same. \Vhen moving in the opposite direction, the circuit-closing arm in like manner completes an electric circuit through a contact-arm placed upon the opposite side of the circuit-closing arm. The two circuits thus completed may either unite with a single main line or proceed independently to the receiving-instruments. In each circuit there is placed an independent electro-magnet, servin g, when vitalized, to actuate the contact-arms in the direction of motion of the circuit-closing-arm, through which the circuit is at any time closed from the circuit closing arm. The impulses, however, are transmitted over the main line to a receivinginstrument, which they serve to actuate in one direction or the other, accordingly as the movement of the circuit-closing arm is in one direction or the op- V posite. The contact-points through which the electric circuit is closed are preferably provided with shunt-circuits, for the purpose of preventing them from becoming corroded by the disruptive discharges which tend to occur at the instant an electric circuit is broken. These shunt-circuits are designed to be 00111- pleted after the primal contact has been made, and after the delicate points have been sepa rated the circuit is interrupted at a point specially constructed to receive the discharge.

In the accompanying dra\vings,which illustrate my invention, Figure 1 shows an elevator with the transmitting and receiving apparatus connected therewith, a portion of the apparatus .being shown in diagram. Fig. 2 illus- 8o trates certain details in the construction of the transmitting apparatus. .Figs. 8 and at illustrate modifications in the organization of the transmitting apparatus. Fig. 5 illustrates a convenient form of receivinginstrument. 8 5

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A represents an elevator moving in an elevator-shaft, B, by means of force communicated thereto through a cable, 0. Attached to a drum or pulleyshaft, a, is a small pulley, ck, from which a 0 belt, a is extended to a belt-wheel, a. From this belt-wheel a beltconnection, a, is made with the shaft 1) of the transmitting apparatus. The connections, it will be seen, between the moving mechanism of the elevator and the 5 shaft Z) of the transmitter are such that the latter will be revolved in the direction indicated by the arrow or when the elevator is moving in one direction, and in the opposite direction when the elevator is moving in the reverse direction. The movements thus imparted to the shaft 1) are caused to transmit electric impulses of one polarity or the oppo site, according to the direction of the move rigidly upon the shaft 1) and moves therewith.

and carries contact-points c c. The contactarms 0 and C are carried upon the support of a toothed wheel, E, and they respectively carry contact-points c and c".

The wheel E is constructed to be revolved in one direction or the other, according to the direction of movement of the arm 0, by means of two electro-magnets, F and F. For this purpose the sleeve 0, forming a support for the contact-arms C and C is insulated from the shaft 1), as shown in Fig. 2, and the contact-arms themselves are also insulated from each other, as will appear in the same figure. A contactbrush, D, serves to complete an electric connection from the earth at G, through a conductor, 1, to the shaft V, and thus to the circuit-closing arm 0. Two similar brushes, (1 and d, serve in like manner to complete independent electrical connections through conductors 2 and 3, respectively,with two contactarms, It and 71?, respectively. The contact-arm h normally rests against an insulated eont-actstop, h. A contact-arm, if, similar to the contact-arm h, normally presses to ward the contact-stop h upon the opposite side. This arm, however, is normally held away from the stop h by means of an armatare-lever, F The armature-lever serves as a support for an armature, F,which is applied to the electro-magnet F, and a retractile spring, 8, serves to normally draw this arm and lever away from the elcctro-magnet into the position shown in the drawings. A similar armature, F, and lever F are applied to the electroqnagnet F and serve, under the influence of a spring, 8", to hold a corresponding contactanu, h, away from the stop h", against which the spring h normally presses.

The stop h is connected through a conduct or, 4,with a circuit-interrupting arm, g,which normally rests upon a stop, 9, which in turn is connected through a conductor, 5, with one pole-say the positiveof a battery, 0. The negative pole of this battery is connected through a conductor, 6, with the earth at G. Above the extremity of the short arm of the lever g extends an extension of the arm f of the armature-lever F and this extension, when the armature is drawn into its forward posi tion by the 'electro-magnet F, serves to raise the lever g from the point g, thereby interrupting whatever circuit may be completed therethrough. A similar arm, g rests upon a stop, 1/, and the point 71 is connected with this arm through a conductor, '7, including the coils of the electromagnet F. The stop G is connected through a conductor, 8, with the negative pole of a battery, 0, and the positive pole of this battery is connected with the earth at G through aconductor, 9. The function of the arm 1/ and the stop g is similar to that of the arm 9 and stop 9".

When the circuit-closing arm 0 is revolved :2 scenes in a given direetionsaythat indieal ed by the arrow :0'it will make contact with the corn tactarm 0, thereby completing the eonncetions of an electric circuit as follows: from the earth at G, through the conductor 1, brush 1), arm 0, brush (1, conductor 2, arm It, stop It, conductor l, including electro-magnet F, the arm g, stop 9", conductor 5, to the positive pole of the battery 0, the negative pole of which is connected through the conductor 6 with the earth. The electromagnet F will thereupon be vitalized, the armature-lever F will be drawn into its forward position, thus serving to release the arm 71 allowing it to rest against the contact-stop hi", and immedt ately afterward forcing the arm h away from that stop. There will be then substituted therefor a circuit from the battery 0 to the point h in the manner already shown, from thence to the contact-arm If. This arm is in connection through a conductor, Z,with a main line, L, and an impulse will then be transmitted from the positivc'pole ol' the battery 0 to the main line. The remote terminal of the line L, it will be understood, is connected with the earth at G, or it may be connected back through a metallic conductor with the grounded poles of the batteries 0 and 0". 1n the same manner, when the movement of the arm 0 is in the opposite direction, the circuit of the battery 0 will first be closed through the arms C and G, and, upon the movement of the armature F, through the conductor Z with the main line L, and a negative current will. then be sent to line. In this manner positive or negative currents will. be sent, according to the direction of the movement of the arm (J; but it becomes necessary, in. order to permit a further movement of the arm, that the contact-points should be separated from the circuit-closing arm C. For this purpose the armature-levers F and F are respectively provided with actuating-pawls 7.2 and 75?, which serve, when either armature-lever is drawn into its forward position, to engage the wheel E, and during its return movement, in response to the spring 8, turns it in the direction of the movement of the arm G. Thus the pawl. k turns the wheel E in the direction of the arrow a, and the pawl 7; in the opposite direction. It will be observed that the result of this movement as follows: The forward movement of the lever F, for instance, causes the contact of the arm h to be substr tuted for that of the arm h with the contactstop h", and before the circuit is again completed through the arm 72/, the reverse movement of the lever causes the contact-arm O to be separated from the circuit-closing arm 0. Both arms G and 0', being carried upon the same support, are moved in the direction of the arrow :0, and the distance through which they are thus moved corresponds to the distance through which it is designed that the C, so that no electrical discharge will take place across the points 0 and 0 carried thereby. The forward movement of the armature-lever F will cause the contaetarm g to be separated from the point 9 thereby interrupting the circuit of the battery, and whatever electrical discharge may tend to take place will occur at the point which for this purpose is constructed to receive such discharge without injury. This interruption causes the electro magnet F to be demagnetized, thereby permitting the return movement of the lever F Precisely the same operation will occur when the electro-magnet F is vitalized by the contact of the circuit-closing arm 0 with the contact-arm O, with the exception that the move ment of the wheel E will be in the opposite direction. So long as the elevator continues to move in one direction-say upwardthe circuit will continue to be completed and interrupted in this manner, positive electric impulses being sent upon the line L through the action of the arm 0, and in precisely the same manner a series of negative impulses will be transmitted, when the elevator descends, through the agency of the arm 0 The impulses thus transmitted are employed for actuating the reeeiv-ing-instruments in one direction or the other, in correspondence to the movements of the arm 0, in the same manner as set forth in my Patent No. 284,382. The main line is connected through the coils of a polarized relay, M, (see Fig. 5,) with the earth at G. An electromagnet, M,is connected with one arm of an electric circuit, 10, and a corresponding electro-magnet is connected in a branch circuit, 11, of the same battery, 0. \Vhen a positive electric impulse is sent over the main line through the coils of the electromagnet M, the armature of that magnet will, by resting against the stop on, cause the circuit of the battery 0 to be completed through the conductor 10, including the electromagnet M. A negative electric impulse serves, by carrying the armature into contact with the contactpoint m to complete the connections of the local battery through the conductor 11, including the electrdmagnet M The electro-magnets h 'and M are provided with armatures and armature-levers for actuating a wheel, N, in one direction or the other, accordingly as it is a positive or negative impulse which is transmitted over the line. The

shaft m of the wheel XV carries a pointer, P, extending in front of a dial, P. Upon this dial are formed characters of any convenient description for indicating the number of impulses of a given character which have been transmitted, or, in other words, the position of the circuit-closing arm C, and thus of the elevator A.

It may not always be necessary to employ acontinuit-ypreserving key such as that presented at h, It, and ha 'in Fig. 1; but an organization similar to that shown in Fig. 3 may be adopted under certain circumstances. This organization is designed to employ two main I lines, L and I], over which the electricinr pulses are transmitted. In this figure I have shown the pawls r and 7tarranged to move the wheel E during the forward movement of the armature-levers F and F, which are applied to the electro-magnets F and F respectively. A single battery, 0 is employed, and this battery is connected through a conductor, 18, with the contact-brush D, which completes the circuit with the circuit closing arm 0. The brushes (1 and d are respectively connected with extensions f and f of the armature-levers' F and F, and through conductors 14 and 15, respectively, with the main lines L and L The coils of the eleetro-magnets .F and F" are included in the conductors 14. and 15, respectively. Vhen, therefore, the arm 0 makes contact with either of the contact-arms O or G, the circuit is first completed through the coils of the corresponding electro-magnet to the main line. The armature responding thereto immediately causes a contactpoint carried upon the arm f or f to strike against an arm, h or h, which are respectivelyapplied thereto. These arms h and if are respectively connected through conductors 17 and 18 with the corresponding eircuit-interrupting arm, 9 or The contact-points g and g are respectively connected through conductors 19 and 20 with the conductor 13,1eading from the battery 0. When, therefore, one of the extensions f orf strikes against the corresponding spring, h or h the circuit of the battery will be completed through the corresponding conductor, 19 or 20, and the arm 9 or g to the extension f or f, and thence through the conductor lat or 15 to the corresponding main line. The points 0 will thereby be shunted, and the further advancement of the pawl causes thepoints to beseparated. The still further advancement of the armature F or F causes the extension f or f to actuate the circuit-interrupting arm 9 or 9 thus entirely interrupting the circuit of the battery O. The armature-lever thereupon resumes its normal position, the contact-arms having been advanced through the distance represented by one tooth. It will be observed that in this organization the contact-arms G and G are applied relatively upon the opposite sides of the wheel E from that represented in Fig. 1, for the reasonthat the pawls are constructed to revolve the wheel in the opposite direction from that shown in Fig. 1. This, however, is a feature in the organization which may be variously modified without in any way affecting the principle of the invention. The receiving-instrument employed in this organization may be any suitable form described in the patents hereinbefore referred to.

In Fig. l a modification is illustrated in which the contiunity-preserving keys described in connection with Fig. 1 are employed in connection with two additional electro-magnets, which act to take the place of those employed for imparting theprimary movements to the armature-levers F and F", and to hold the same in their advancedpositions until. the I therefore herein *iaim anything shown, dc-

circuit is interrupted by the interrupting-arm or g. In this organization the batteries 0 and 0- are connected with the stops g and g, respectively, and the arms g and are connected through the conductors 4- and 7 with the stops h and 71, respectively. The elcctro magnets 1 and 1+ are, however, not included in these conductors, as in Fig. 1, but are included in the conductors 2 and 3, which lead to the brushes (6 and d respectively from the arms h and it. Two supplementary electromagnets, F and I are included in the conductors l and Z leading from the arms h and 71 to the main line L. These electro-magnets act uponarmsf and f", applied to extensions of the levers I? and F. These electro-magnets are placed in circuit after the circuit of the battery 0 and O has been completed by the action of the circuit-closing arm 0 striking against the contact-arm C or O", and the electro-magnet or F" has advanced the armature-levers F and F" until the arm It or I!" is in contact with its stop h" or 71.. The further advancement of the ar1nature-leverin re sponse to the attraction exerted by the supplementary elcetro-magnet causes a separation of the points 0 by the action of the pawl 7x5 or It", in the same manner as described with reference to Fig. 3, and also a separation of the arm h or If from the points 71" or h. This lastaetion preferably takes place after the separation of the points 0, although it is evident that it may take place before or simultaneously therewith. The circuit of the battery then remains closed only through the supplementary clectro-magnet. The still further advancement of the armature-lever which is being actuated causes the circuit through the supplementaryelectro-magnet to be also interrupted through the agency of the arm 1 or whereupon the armattne-lever resumes its normal position. In practice it is found desirable in this organization to so construct the apparatus that the points 0 shall separate after the arm h or 71 has been separated from the stop 71 or 71, for in this manner the dis charge of the elcctro-nmgnet F or F will take place entirely at the stops it and 7t, and no spark will be possible at the points 0.

In practice it will be found desirable in some instances to connect the arms 1/ and respectively, with their stops g and y, through artificial resistances r and I, which are de signed to relieve the points carried by the same from the electric discharge by affording a path of high resistance for the same. It is evident, however, that the resistance oli'ered by these artificial resistances should be snl'l'r cicntly great to prevent the passage of currents from the batteries 0 and O of snl'licient force to vitalize the electro-magnets I!" and I In another application filed December 26, 1883, (Serial No. 115,514,) I have shown and described certain organizations of apparatus in some particulars similar to certain organizations shown and describedherein, and I do not scribed, and claimed in said application and not specifically claimed herein.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, substantially as here inbefore set forth, with an elevator and a shalt and means for revolving said shalt in one direction or the other, in accordance with the movements of said elevator, of a circuitolosing arm carried upon said shalt, two contact arms upon opposite sides of said circuit-closing arm, means,substantially such as described, for causing said circuit-closing arm to repeat edly complete an electric circuit through one or the other of said contact-arms, according to the direction of motion of said elevator, one or more indicating devices which are actuated when a circuit is thus completed, and means, sul'istantiallysuch as described, for separating said contact-arms from said circuit-closing arm.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbetore set forth, with an elevator and a series of indicating devices for indicating the position of said elevator, of a circuit-closing arm actuated in one direction or the other by the movements of said elevator, two contactarms, against one or the other of which said circuitclosing arm is caused to impinge, according to the direction of movementof said elevator, one or more electricbatteries from which electric impulses are transmitted in the proper manner to actuate said indicating devices when said circuitclosing arm impinges against one or the other of said contact-arms, and means, substantially such as described, for separating said contactarms from said circuit-closing arm.

3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with an elevator and a series of indicating devices for determining the position of the same, of a revolving circuit-closing arm, means for actuating the same in one direction or the other, according to the move ments of said elevator, two revolving contactarms upon the respective sides of said circuitclosing arm, and means, substantially such as described, for causing said circuit-closing arm to transmit an electric impulse for each predetermined distance through which said elevator passes in a given direction.

+t. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of an elevator, a series of indicating devices for determining the position ofsaid elevator, a circuit-closing arm mov ing at a rate proportionate to the movements of said elevator, two contact-arms respcctivel y applied to said circuit-closingarm, and means for causing said circuitclosing arm to complete an electric circuit through one or the other ol" said contact-arms, thereby causing said imlicating devices to be actuated in one direct ion or the other, and also advancing said contactarms in the direction depending upon the direction of movement of said elevator.

5. The combination, substantially as here inbel'orc set i'orlh, of an elevator, means for raising and lowering the same within its shaft, a circuit-closing arm moving in one direction or the other, according to the direction of movement of said elevator, two electromagnets,through one or the other of which an electric circuit is completed by the action of said circuit-closing arm, accordingly as it is moved inone direction or the opposite, and independent circuitinterruptin g devices included in circuit with said electromagnets, and serving, substantially as described, to interrupt the circuit thus completed through one or the other of said electromagnets.

6. The combination, substantially ashereinbefore set forth, with an elevator and means for actuating the same, of a series of indicat ing devices, a circuit-closing point caused to move in one direction or the other, according to the direction of movement of said elevator, two electro-magnets, through the coils of one or the other of which said point acts to complete an electric circuit, thereby actuating said indicating devices in one direction or the other, accordingly as said circuit-closing pointis moving in one direction or the other, and independent means, substantially such as described, for interrupting the circuit thus completed when said indicating devices have been actuated.

7. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of an elevator, a movable circuit-closing point, the movements of which are controlled by the movements of said elevator, one or more indicating devices for determining the changes in position of said elevator, two contact-points respectively applied to said circuit closing point, means, substantially such as described, for moving said contact-points in the direction of movement of said circuit-closing point, and two electromagnets, through one or the other of which an electric circuit is completed, accordingly as said circuit-closing point is caused to impinge against one or the other of said contact'points.

8. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a revolving circuit-closing arm, two contact-arms, against one or the other of which said circuitclosing arm is caused to impinge, acctrlingly as its motion is in one direction or the other, two batteries, two electromagnets respectively included in conductors normally connected with said contactarms, respectively, armatures and armature-levers applied to said electro-magnets, respectively, one or more indicating devices included in a normally-open circuit, and circuitchanging devices applied to said armature-levers, whereby the conductor leading from either battery to the corresponding contactarm is automatically disconnected from that arm and connected with the conductor, including said indicating instrument or instruments.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 20th day of March, A. 65

' CHARLES'L. CLARKE.

\Vitnesses:

DANL. XV. EDG-ECOMB, CHARLES A. TERRY. 

